Electronic devices, such as smart speakers, can interact with one or more people in a room. Sometimes smart speakers may have or receive private or sensitive information that should only be provided to a user if they are alone or with a trusted group of people. In other words, such private or sensitive information is not be outputted in a way that it would be received by any nearby unauthorized persons. The sensitive information could be anything, such as a reminder of an appointment, meeting, or other event, or notifying and/or audibly outputting an email or text message.
For example, a person may not want an audible reminder of a meeting with another person to be outputted while certain other persons are in the room. For instance, a person may not want an audible reminder of a job interview when a coworker is in the room. Further, a person may not want an audible reminder of a doctor's appointment when anyone else is in the room. Further, a person may not want the smart speaker to read aloud an email message containing personal health information when anyone else is in the room.
In another scenario, a smart speaker is used to conduct or facilitate an event such as a meeting. Companies sometimes have sensitive or confidential information for which access and knowledge is managed on a need to know basis. The confidential information may relate to a particular project. In a meeting environment, however, particularly when meetings span sites, it can be difficult to ensure that everyone present in the meeting room(s) is authorized to be present to hear the proceedings, which may include confidential information. Furthermore, once confidential information has gone beyond the intended audience, it can be difficult to control its spread.
Improvements in protecting such information are desirable.